Battery retainer for electric hand lamps



F 1 1953 c. G. TALBOT ElAL 2,523,305

BATTERY RETAINER FOR ELECTRIC HAND LAMPS Filed March 25, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVENTORS.

4 1953 c. G. TALBOT ETAL 2,628,305

BATTERY RETAINER FOR ELECTRIC HAND LAMPS Filed March 25, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET z INVENTORS.

Cyras 6 jafcsi sepfi 5274mm Patented Feb. 19, 1953 OFFICE BATTERY RETAINER FOR ELECTRIC a HANDLAMPS Cyrus G. Talbot and Joseph F. Talbot.

. Chicago, Ill.

Application March 23, 1950, Serial No. 151,416

3 Claims.

Our invention relates to the familiar type of battery-operated hand lamps which are used around the home, garage or automobile, and one object of the invention is to provide a reliable unit within the lamp casing for retaining the battery in place and with a good electrical contact.

A further object is to build a frame structure within the casing of the lamp which serves at one end as a contact plate and at the other end as a retainer effective to hold the battery terminals in firm engagement with the contact plate.

Another object is todesign the novel retainer with a pivotal connection in order that the retainer may be swung out of the casing to release the battery.

An important object is to construct the novel retainer along lines of rigidity and simplicity.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in whicha Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the hand lamp in the position of use; I

Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section and ShOWillg a part of the lamp handle and easing broken away; 9

Fig. 3 is a section on the retainer in place;

Fig 4 is a section on. the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 with the battery removed;

Fig. 5 is a view similar.toFig;'li 2 .showing the battery in the reverse positionrand. Fig. 6 is a section on the lihebtiof Fig.3;

In accordance with the. foregging', the casing of the lamp is indicated at lily-the same being theline 3- -3 of Fig. 1, showing the battery installed in the lamp and oblong in shape; and the casing receives a;ccyer-- ll over the top,--such coverbei-ngjhinged at the front end as indicated at l2 and're'ceiving a conventional spring latch.i3 atthe rear.

The cover H is surmountedgwith strapslli forming the supports of a handle it; and the head ll of the lamp is horizontally pivoted at l8 to the front end of the handle, such head having a convenient finger switch l9 for the control of the light bulb 28 contained in the lamp head. It is now apparent that the structure of the cover, of the handle it and lamp head I1 is swingable upwardly on the hinge 12 in the manner indicated in Fig. 2 in order to afford access to the interior of the casing l0. Figs. 2 and 4 show that such interior receives a channel-shaped frame at the front, the sides 26 of the frame 2 being riveted or otherwise fastened as indicated at 21 to the side-walls of the casing Ill. The frame 25 has an internal opening 28 and receives a vertical sheet 30 of insulating material on the rear side. This sheet in turn receives a central plate 3| and an outer ring 32 on the rear side, the

plate 3 and ring 32 being of metal and secured to the sheet 30 by rivets 33. One of the feed conductors 35 for the lamp bulb 20 is secured as indicated at 36 to the frame 25, which is employed as a ground. The other conductor 31 is passed through the opening 28 to connect at 3'8 with the center plate 31. The latter and the ring 32 thus form opposite terminals for the feed current designed to pass by way of the conductors 35 and 31 to the lamp bulb 20. The battery 40 for the novel lamp is of the octagonal .lantern type and is designed to be laid'horizontally in the casing of the lamp as shown in Fig. 2. Such batteries carry spring terminals at one end, some terminals being in the form of blades, whilethe ones shown are in the form of spiral coils 4 I.

The battery terminals are sopositioned that when the. battery is laid as mentioned with the terminals directed forwardly, they will occur opposite the terminal plate 3| and ring 32, respectively; and pressureon the battery from behindwill engage the battery terminals with the said plate'and ring in order to maintain a good electrical contact with the same.

The novel retainer is designed to hold the battery "in place and maintain'the same with for- Ward pressure' to insure the aforesaid electrical contact at all times. Thus, Figs. 2 and. 3 show that theiretainer'is in the form of a rectangular arch whose legs extend forwardly to make pivotal connections 45 with the sides 25 of the frame 25.". Theretainer is located in the top of the casing and is designed to be swung up to the position' indicated byffinely-dotted lines in Fig. 2

' when the battery ii! is to be inserted into the casing. Whenthis has been done, the retainer is lowered, 'but'i'ts'cross bar'45 will only assume a position behind, theirear end ofjthe'battery after.

the latter has been pushed forward and its spring terminals 4| compressed to bear against the contact elements 3| and 32 in the positions indicated by finely-dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The retainer is designed to occupy a position along the side walls of the battery 40; and the head 45 of the retainer receives an angle plate at the middle, such angle plate rising to terminate with a forward lug 51 which forms a stop over the top of the battery when the retainer has been fully lowered. Also, the plate 50 s struck l9 may accidentallydepres the latter-and turn on the bulb 20, so that the battery eventually becomes exhausted and useless. To avoid such an eventuality, the owner is advised to reverse the' battery end-to-end, as shown in Fig-5.- Batteries of the type under consideration are encased in' a' cardboard shell. Therefore, the end.-of-the -battery now in front will pass no current or causenc incident in case it comes in contact with the contact plates SI and 32; and, when th'e'retainer is engaged over the battery as shown-- inthe same figure, the possible'rearward shifting of the battery will not bring the spring terminals 4| into contact with the rear Wall of the casing to cause a short in' the battery in case the metal of such wall has become exposed. On the 'sub-' ject of battery shorting, it is possible that, through accident, the battery might become shorted in any hand lamp. In such event, the;

battery not only heats'up but 'swellsgand its acid leakage often causes it' to' pack in its casing so it is very difficult, if not impossible," t'o' reinove the battery from the casing. Figs. 4 and 5"i'ndi-' cate that in the present instance ampleside spacingis provided for the battery so'that in case of a short onlyits bottom may adherea'n'd the battery would be removable by forcing it side'- wise or endwiseuntil it is pried loose.

, It will be evident frorri'the"above'descriptioii that the novel retainer is a'd'e'vice which is both simple and compact. First,it is a direct e'xten-' sion of the contact frame b'etween'the battery and the bulb feed conductors, and is actually made in a unit with the'fr'ame, sothatit'becomes installed when the latter iS'TaStenedin thec'aS- ing. ,Further, the retainer is" handy in" the top of the casing, having its forwarding 5| ina" position to hold the battery down; while there'ar' ward tongue 52 is readily accessible for the ap'- plication of'a finger to raise'the retainer free'of the battery. Owing totheresilient' nature of' the battery terminals 4|, the retainer need not be made with any'spri'rig or' other yieldabfleele' it ment, since the pressure of the retainer through the battery and the terminals 41 maintains the: battery firmly lodged between the retainer and the contact elements 31. and 32. Further: the

position of the retainr'in the top of thecasing,

as maintainedby the stop mg 51- overthe' battery 40, insures the retainer against becoming de-' pressed whenthe battery is in the reverse position of Fig. 5 to a point where the retainer may contact the center battery terminal 4| and cause a short Further, the contact elements 3| and 32 are not in the bottom of the casing, as in some" lamps'on the market, toigather dust and corrode, but in front and within handy reach for cleanemploy all such changes and refinements as may come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims;

1.- Ina-lamp casing designed to receive a bat- "tery ha'ving 'yiel'dable terminals at one end, contact means adapted to receive such terminals whenthebattery is laid on its side in the casing, said contact means comprising a frame carried by the casing opposite said terminals and formed with elements for contact by the terminals, such frame havingisides securedj-to-the casing, and a retainer. designed to maintain said terminals in tensioned engagement' with said." contact means, sai-d'retainer 'cor'nprising an arch-shaped member with legspivoted to said f'rame sid'es, the head of the member "being'p'ositioned i to engage the battery-end opposite from that carrying said terminals when the battery-has been urged. in the directioiifof "said eontact means. i

2; A battery-operated" lamp having a V casing open-at the'top' and suitable t'o receive a' dry battery'f laid on its" side and directedlfromone. end with yieldable'tei'minal's toward -'one1 casing end, thalatter" containing-fcontact me'ansfori said tering end, and a retainer designed to maintainthe terminals" in tensron'ed engagement. with. said contactmeans'}said retainercomprising an archshaped membei' with' legs-"pivoted transevrsely tion of said contact means.

3;""l he' structur'e of claim 2; the. head of the member havinga cross-bar applicable to. said battery-end and a return lug adapted to overlie v the'b'atterya's ailimit'for'theswing of the memfile or this patent? STATES PATENTS Nufiibei Name Date 1 ,088,120" Baird- Feb. 24, 1914 1 275360 Aug. 13, 1913 1,384,017 July 5, 1921 945,016 Zook Jan. 30, 1934 2380.343 M'oxley Apr; 21, 1942 

